AD4X4 Membership

Desert_Dragon · Post by **Desert_Dragon** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:14 pm

Dear all,

According to big numbers of members join our club I would like to share with AD4X4 committee and AD4X4 family idea. If we are comparing AD4X4 club between others we will find that we are way far from them by organizing trips level, safety, corporation between members. We all agree that we here to enjoy our time and to keep this organization running. If we keep up this really hard work we will be the best in the region if we not already are! I would like to share my poor calculation plan for Membership registration fees:-

AD4X4 club until now registered 1098 members if we charge them annually AED200 per member we would open our yearly budge with AED 219600 which can cover most registration fees and paper work, events, trips ……etc

We need the AD4X4 committee approval for these Membership registration fees PLUS I would like to know AD4X4 members opinion Membership registration fees by voting Agree or Disagree

I will do my best to get sponsors for this club if the committee allowed me to do so or guide me

P.S. nothing has been decided yet it's only my IDEA!
Regards,
Fahed

akube · Post by **akube** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:37 pm

I don't think there should be a membership fee, it would lay back new comers.

I like the idea of fund raisers, party fees and contributions. I like things the way they are.

Another idea would be something like.. ANIT's are free, You can go upto being an intermediate, but to join intermediate and above level trips you have to be a contributor. It makes more sense that way.

I mean seriously, you'd want to contribute once you really get to see how the trips are like, how a great family we are, and then the choice would be inevitable, you'd want to keep the family spirit going and contribute to the well-being of the family.

Xof · Post by **Xof** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:44 pm

dear Fahed,

Before submitting this kind of poll, it would be great you have a discussion with the founders of the club. They would explain to you that If there is no contribution, there are good reasons.

They made the club as per their idea about what it must be, 3 years ago. As far as i know, they reached their goals above their hopes... and the spirit created is unique in AD 4x4, because of our founder spirit, but also because of the active members.

Anyway, what i mean is that this is not a family business. It is just a family.

as fathers, Iguana and Megamoe are the one to decide.

And i personnaly give more that your required fee, so it's not a money issue for me. But maybe not for all.

Therefore, I will not reply to your poll as i believe this is not a Member duty to propose this on the forum.

No hard feeling.

regards.

PS : Dear Akube, it is already the case: you cannot be upgraded to intermediate if not contributing. But you can stay newbie for ever if you can't/don't want to contribute. See the related thread on the forum : http://ad4x4.com/modules.php?name=Forum ... pic&t=3055

G-man · Post by **G-man** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:08 pm

Dodge_ram? mate... It's not your prerogative to start such a thread... Since when do newbies do the committees work?... well I hope you get the idea.

I suggest you redirect your enthusiasm and energy into less inflammatory subjects.

Desert_Dragon · Post by **Desert_Dragon** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:36 pm

PEOPLE CALM DOWN IT JUST IDEA

G-man i have the right to say what i feel would progress the club...keep your comments short agree or Disagree..Thanks

xof is not about business ...it's about how to grow this Club

Guys you will never ever understand

iguana · Post by **iguana** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:39 pm

Dear Dodge_Ram,

Thank you for your suggestion. However, we have so many reasons not to charge membership fees. We are not making this club for money, we only need to cover our club annual expense which is done through contribution.

Your calculation is wrong and the number of active members is max 500 if you ask them to pay membership fees, all of them will be demanding and asking for service.

Most of the members we have are looking for cheap week ends .. when our new year party was free last year, we had 140 cars. This year we charges 50 Dirhams and the number of joiners reduced to 40 cars .. This gives you an idea of what is happening here.

For your info Akube, we are not making any money from the events charges or selling AD4x4 items, they are at cost. Sometimes, we pay from our pocket to cover an event expense.

I have a list of contributors, and how much they paid, and believe me most of them paid between 500 to 2000 dirhams and I have one contribution paid 10000 dirhams for the club. On the other hand some members who paid only 100 dirham for contribution in 2006, and when you ask them for 2008 contribution, he will ask WHY? I already paid before.

The club will remain free for everybody .. If you love the club, pay what ever you want to pay to support it ... If you don't want to pay, stay as a newbie all your life

Thanks for the post anyway ... And keep looking for sponsors, this will cover our financial expenses

Desert_Dragon · Post by **Desert_Dragon** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:43 pm

iguana wrote:Dear Dodge_Ram,

Thank you for your suggestion. However, we have so many reasons not to charge membership fees. We are not making this club for money, we only need to cover our club annual expense which is done through contribution.

Your calculation is wrong and the number of active members is max 500 if you ask them to pay membership fees, all of them will be demanding and asking for service.

Most of the members we have are looking for cheap week ends .. when our new year party was free last year, we had 140 cars. This year we charges 50 Dirhams and the number of joiners reduced to 40 cars .. This gives you an idea of what is happening here.

For your info Akube, we are not making any money from the events charges or selling AD4x4 items, they are at cost. Sometimes, we pay from our pocket to cover an event expense.

I have a list of contributors, and how much they paid, and believe me most of them paid between 500 to 2000 dirhams and I have one contribution paid 10000 dirhams for the club. On the other hand some members who paid only 100 dirham for contribution in 2006, and when you ask them for 2008 contribution, he will ask WHY? I already paid before.

The club will remain free for everybody .. If you love the club, pay what ever you want to pay to support it ... If you don't want to pay, stay as a newbie all your life

Thanks for the post anyway ... And keep looking for sponsors, this will cover our financial expenses

Understood now....Thanks boss...cleared the picture to me

i need to set with you for coffee about sponsors.....i will call you to set up a meeting with ya

Jo · Post by Jo » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:45 pm

Dodge_ram wrote:Guys you will never ever understand

Oh yes my dear, I absolutly understand!

This club is run by the founders and the Marshals. I do not recall that you are either one or the other. So please stay out of Club-running and management issues!

I hope you understand!

Josef Harzen
Marshal - DXB & N.Emirates Manager
AD4x4
Jo@ad4x4.com

akube · Post by **akube** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:25 pm

iguana wrote: For your info Akube, we are not making any money from the events charges or selling AD4x4 items, they are at cost. Sometimes, we pay from our pocket to cover an event expense...

I know that iguana... the whole idea of a club is being non-profitable as long as the core values are met.

A for-profit club would be run and named differently.

marshals would be paid rather than pay to keep the club running.

If a commercial desert trip costs around 140 aed per head out there for a day out in the desert with a minimum of 4 heads per car. you can imagine what a for-profit kind of club would charge. We all know what a for-profit club would charge in return for some guarantees.
---------

On a side note.. i really don't appreciate this hostility from marshals towards dodge ram. The guy had honest intentions. It is a forum, people should be allowed to throw ideas around. It is healthy. And he did raise a point as a newbie and it could have been easily dicussed just like iguana clearly dicussed his points as a chairman of this club and he succeeded in convincing anyone who reads this thread that membership fees aint a good idea because 1,2 and 3.

Every part of the club, every member, should be given the chance to speak for themselves, even if their points make no sense, so as long as they speak/write constructively and show positive intentions towards the club.

You shut one member, you shut em all.

I beleive in my best understanding, and best intentions, that everyone should be given the chance of raising points in a constructive manner with positive intentions in this forum regarding Anything about this club, even the way it is run. Since we are all a family... and we all are members of the club.

On the Road, convoys, dunes, offroad with the club, yes; newbies especially, and those who arent marshals or the chairman should stay out of club-running and management issues.

Fadi · Post by **Fadi** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:56 pm

if I have the right to say my idea: then I do agree with Akube and iquanaa at the same time, the way that I have seen this club that is a family spirit one, and sometimes and some marshals do some hostile comments and responses, and I have noticed that earlier untill Akube brought it into light, and I think that the club management needs some feedback, comments, ideas from here and there, and by those the management can even grow the club and put improvments and development ahead as long as it is a constructive feedback, however I would like to suggest if Iquana can either authorize or not authorize all memebers to say their ideas or not, but again, I would like if iquana make a word for those who use somehow rough words against other poeple (such this case)

I like Akube constructive feedback, dodge ideas even though I don't support it, and iquana managment style who keep the club with such a family spirit and patience of all to read through all what I have written

Jax · Post by **Jax** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:31 pm

Dear fellow AD4x4 members,
Iguana has pointed out in several threads that the club management always welcomes constructive feedback.
Comments are always replied to and sometimes where appropriate acted upon - so I am, for one, at a loss to see why there is suddenly an issue on this matter.

As for Marshals making 'hostile comments and responses' - well, speaking personally I do not see where any have been made here, or anywhere else.
(Please note that this is not an invitation for a barrage of replies with quotes of 'x' said this/'y' said that - as they will all be subjective in my opinion)

Yes, we are all here because we love the desert and driving in the desert - and the club and the website is what brings us all together as a family.
Please let's keep that in mind as the New Year begins so we can help to contribute in whatever way we can to keep AD4x4 the best and make it even better.

Desert_Dragon · Post by **Desert_Dragon** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:40 pm

Jo Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:45 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dodge_ram wrote:
Guys you will never ever understand

Oh yes my dear, I absolutly understand!

This club is run by the founders and the Marshals. I do not recall that you are either one or the other. So please stay out of Club-running and management issues!

I hope you understand!

Josef Harzen
Marshal - DXB & N.Emirates Manager
AD4x4
Jo@ad4x4.com

G-man Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:08 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dodge_ram? mate... It's not your prerogative to start such a thread... Since when do newbies do the committees work?... well I hope you get the idea.

I suggest you redirect your enthusiasm and energy into less inflammatory subjects.

You both If you want to negotiate about the thread please learn how to talk to people….No hard feelings as Marshalls always complain "People doesn't respect our instruction" I will tell you why? You will get respect until you respect others then you will be respect back....

About the membership registration fees....i will tell you something i got this plan to improve more by making the club fnancially Independent…. I liked to share the idea with everybody but no one seems want to the think out of the box…..if looking for ad4x4 club future you would thought about what I said twice….Islam pick what I said fast and reply me with his background … but I didn't give up because what I want to chairman knows that this club needs to be internally financially supported then we look after sponsorship which inshallah I will do my best to get….

i have a list of contributors, and how much they paid, and believe me most of them paid between 500 to 2000 dirhams and I have one contribution paid 10000 dirhams for the club. On the other hand some members who paid only 100 dirham for contribution in 2006, and when you ask them for 2008 contribution, he will ask WHY? I already paid before.

Thank you Islam you brought the subject out....No fees of membership registration ok everybody wants this,....

At least Differentiate between members who pays annually contribution and who pays AED100 and AED10000 once a life…Please make it clear to everybody how much they do cares about this club…make it open to everybody

Sorry for tell the truth....Be more optimistic guys....it's open forum we have the right to support our opinions and say our opinion while in same time we show respective manners

mike0967 · Post by **mike0967** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:56 pm

We do not only understand ourselves as a family, we are one. As such we are not putting a compulsory membership fee, everybody is welcomed and its for free in the Newbie level. We even do not ask any new member to put money in expensive recovery gear, car modifications, compressor and what it all takes in the beginning. We tell everybody to wait with any investment until he is very sure that this is how he or she wants to spend almost every weekend.

Anyway, this is an expensive hobby and all those members who fall in love with it, are ready to invest money in recovery gear and car upgrades are also all ready to pay a small annual contribution to cover the club expenses. Believe it or not, the annual contribution, I pay 100 AED for each star, so you can count, is the smallest investment in my hobby, my cars cost me a fortune

Viking · Post by **Viking** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:13 pm

I wonder why this subject brought up so hard feelings. I understand that it was brought up with good intention. I think we should all do as Islam did - explain the background and what this club is about.
The club consist of all kind of members and we should all respect eachother.
I do not support an annual fee but I respect the initiative from Dodge_Ram as he was trying to contribute to the club.
I dont remember who said it or exactly the words but it was something like
"I can not accept your opinion but I would die for your right to express it"

Jo · Post by Jo » Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:15 pm

Dodge_ram wrote:....learn how to talk to people….

Dearest Dodge-ram,

.. I know how to talk and how to gain and keep respect, do you?

Every free forum has its rules and regulation like every club has. Currently you are violating both.
Getting personal and hiding behind frases like "no hard feeling" is a sign of cowardness.

Buddy, you offended me! I am curious how you want to recover.

Jo

AD4X4 Membership

Do you agree or disagree of having AD4X4 membership fees?

AD4X4 Membership

i will not reply to the poll.